Ink digital photo frame

Aura, a company that specializes in interior design products, has recently introduced a new line of cordless Ink photo frames that offer a unique and seamless display experience. These frames utilize e-ink technology, which allows for a digital display that blends perfectly with traditional framed photos. The latest addition to the product line is a 10-inch Ink frame priced at $349, a more affordable option compared to Aura's previous 13-inch model priced at $499.

Aura co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Eric Jensen explained the inspiration behind the Ink frames, stating that when the company first started ten years ago, the technology for creating an e-ink picture frame simply did not exist. Over time, Aura has refined its product to offer a frame that appears like a printed photo yet can change dynamically. The Ink frames use E Ink's Spectra 6 display, which is limited to rendering six colors.

What sets Aura apart from other digital photo frames is its proprietary dithering algorithm, a technique that effectively blends a limited color palette to create smooth gradients. For the new 10-inch Ink frame, Aura collaborated with E Ink to incorporate three additional proprietary colors: off white, mustard, and orange. These new colors help smooth out the edges and make the frame more closely resemble an original photo, although the colors still appear less saturated than in a printed image.

Aura paid special attention to accurately rendering skin tones, which are often the most important aspect of family photos. The company has meticulously calibrated these colors to ensure that the Ink frames produce natural-looking skin tones. The 10-inch frame comes in a single colorway: a black frame with a dark grey linen-textured mat. While this color combination may initially appear jarring, it creates a striking contrast with the e-ink display and looks excellent on its own.

The Ink 10″ frame is compatible with Aura's app, allowing customers to easily upload photos from their phone to the frame. On average, there are about four people sharing to each frame, meaning that customers often share their Aura albums with family and friends. Aura frames can display photos based on albums created by the users or shared with them by others.

For optimal battery life, Aura recommends setting the frame to update only once per day. The Ink 10″ can last three months on a single charge, although the actual battery life might be around a month in their experience. The frame includes hanging hardware, a stand, and a USB-C charging cable. Although the Ink 10″ doesn't generate perfect reproductions of photos, the improved color precision makes it a more accurate representation of the original image, fooling the observer into thinking it is just an ordinary framed photo.